The Lake County Animal Shelter is launching a new program to help decrease the feral cat population countywide. “Operation Community Caturday,” a partnership between the shelter and LEASH, Inc., will seek to sterilize up to 600 free-roaming cats per year.
Trap-Neuter-Vaccinate-Return, or TNVR, improves the lives of cats, addresses community concerns, reduces complaints about cats, and stops the breeding cycle, according to leading cat advocacy group, Alley Cat Allies.
To further this cause, the shelter will sterilize and vaccinate up to 50 community cats on the last Saturday of each month.
“TNVR is the only humane and proactive approach to reducing the outdoor cat population,” said Shelter Director Whitney Boylston. “With the support of LEASH, Inc., we are able to offer this service at a very affordable rate, making sterilization of community cats more accessible to the public.”
Residents who are feeding outdoor cats are encouraged to register online for a TNVR appointment. The cost of the surgery will be $10 per cat, paid directly to the shelter by cash or card. Appointments are limited to five cats per resident per month, and each cat must arrive at the shelter on Friday between 6 pm and 7 pm., or Saturday between 7:30 am and 8:30 am. All cats must be in a humane trap, be healthy, and be a minimum of four pounds. Trapping and returning the cats is the responsibility of the caregiver and not a service provided by the shelter. Residents are required to pick-up the cats after surgery on Saturday afternoon and return them to the location where the cat was trapped. Operation Community Caturday is limited to unowned, free-roaming cats, and all cats will be ear-tipped.
Participants may sign up directly via Eventbrite at https://www.eventbrite.com/o/the-lake-county-animal-shelter-17614317118. To find out more about the Lake County Animal Shelter, or to adopt or volunteer, stop by the shelter at 28123 County Road 561, Tavares, or call 352-343-9688. For the most up-to-date information and photos of adoptable animals, follow the shelter on Facebook atwww.facebook.com/LakeCountyAnimalShelter and Twitter at www.twitter.com/lakeshelterpets.